How Do I Know If I’m In Labour?

How To Know If You’re In Labour (Without Second Guessing Yourself)

One of the most common concerns towards the end of pregnancy is this:

Will I know when I’m in labour?

The honest answer is that labour doesn’t always begin in a dramatic, unmistakable way.

It can start slowly. Irregular tightenings. A sense that something is shifting. A feeling that your body is preparing.

What you are looking for is change over time.

Contractions that become more regular. More intense. More difficult to ignore.

But just as importantly, a sense within yourself that something has begun.

Labour is not just something that happens to you. It is something you move into.

Signs Labour Is Coming Soon (That No One Talks About)

We often focus on contractions as the beginning of labour. But your body usually begins preparing before that.

You may feel more inward. Less interested in plans or socialising. You might find yourself organising, nesting, or wanting to retreat.

Sleep can change. Energy can fluctuate. Emotionally, things can feel heightened.

These are not dramatic signs, but they are meaningful ones.

Your body is beginning to shift its focus.

And often, the most important sign is this quiet sense: something is changing.

What To Do If You Think You’re In Labour

If you begin to have feelings that you think may be labour, but you’re not sure, you’re still in a great place to change nothing at all.

Just do life. Keep everything boringly normal and get on with your day.

There are a few physiological reasons why second births are faster than the first, but the main non-physical reason is that in most cases you have a toddler-sized distraction stopping you from focusing too much on labour.

Clients often ask: how will I know if it’s Braxton Hicks practice contractions or the real thing?

And the truth is you may not. Braxton Hicks are often alleviated by changing what you are doing (moving around if you are lying in bed when they start, or having a rest if they kick off when you are out and about) or by having a big drink of water (because the sensations often feel more uncomfortable with dehydration). Really it doesn’t matter which it is, becasue we treat them both the same.

Whether it is real labour or not, only time will tell and there is nothing we will do differently - rest if you can, move if it feels good, eat, drink to thirst, remember to pee. And just wait and see if today is the day baby has chosen. Or if you have a few more days of baby-free relaxation to enjoy yet…